Skate with injected boot form

ABSTRACT

A boot form for a hockey skate is made of multiple plastic materials having different hardness properties, or different flexural moduli, and is formed via an injection-molding process or another similar process. One or more of the plastic materials may be reinforced with fibers of glass, carbon, aramid, or another stiffening material to strengthen one or more regions of the boot form. For example, pellets of a first plastic material having a flexural modulus of approximately 190 MPa (e.g., a polyamide elastomer block amide) may be injected into a mold to form a softer upper region of the boot form. And pellets of a second plastic having a flexural modulus of approximately 20,000 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12 with long glass fibers) may be injected into the mold to form a stiffer lower region of the boot form. Additional skate components may then be attached to the boot form.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/794,071, filed on Mar. 11, 2013 and now pending, which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The boot portions of hockey skates typically are constructed ofsubstantially rigid materials. While these rigid constructions generallyprovide a wearer with suitable protection against impacts from pucks,sticks, and the like, the lack of flexibility in the skateboots—particularly in the upper regions of the skate boots—tends torestrict movement and limits the motions a skater can execute. Further,it is difficult to stitch or otherwise attach many materials to theserigid constructions, thus limiting the design options available to askate designer.

SUMMARY

A boot form for a hockey skate is made of multiple plastic materialshaving different hardness properties, or different flexural moduli, andis formed via an injection-molding process or another similar process.One or more of the plastic materials may be reinforced with fibers ofglass, carbon, aramid, or another stiffening material to strengthen oneor more regions of the boot form. For example, pellets of a firstplastic material having a flexural modulus of approximately 190 MPa(e.g., a polyamide elastomer block amide) may be injected into a mold toform a softer upper region of the boot form. And pellets of a secondplastic having a flexural modulus of approximately 20,000 MPa (e.g., aNylon 12 with long glass fibers) may be injected into the mold to form astiffer lower region of the boot form. A skate quarter and other skatecomponents may then be attached to the boot form.

To achieve a different performance characteristic, a first plastichaving a flexural modulus of approximately 2100 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12with short glass fibers) may be injected into the mold to form a softerupper region of the boot form. And pellets of a second plastic having aflexural modulus of approximately 4200 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12 with ahigher content of short glass fibers) may be injected into the mold toform a stiffer lower region of the boot form. A skate quarter and otherskate components may then be attached to the boot form.

Other features and advantages will appear hereinafter. The featuresdescribed above can be used separately or together, or in variouscombinations of one or more of them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the sameelement throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boot form, according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hockey skate including the boot formshown in FIG. 1, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the toe cap of a skate boot, accordingto one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a boot form, according to anotherembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. Thefollowing description provides specific details for a thoroughunderstanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One skilledin the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practicedwithout many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structuresor functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoidunnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the variousembodiments.

The terminology used in the description presented below is intended tobe interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it isbeing used in conjunction with a detailed description of certainspecific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even beemphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted inany restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as suchin this detailed description section.

Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include theplural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word “or” isexpressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the otheritems in a list of two or more items, then the use of “or” in such alist is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list,(b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in thelist. Further, unless otherwise specified, terms such as “attached” or“connected” are intended to include integral connections, as well asconnections between physically separate components.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a boot form 10 for a hockey skate 5includes a rigid lower portion 12 and a less rigid upper portion 14. Theupper portion 14 may be made of a thermoformable composite material,such as low density polyethylene, or of another material suitable forproviding both structural support and relative flexibility in the upperportion 14. The lower portion 12 of the boot form 10 may be made of arigid composite material, such as a carbon-fiber reinforced compositematerial, or of another suitable rigid material. The lower portion 12 ofthe boot form 10 may include an integral toe portion 16 made of the samematerial, or of a material having a similar rigidity, as the remainderof the lower portion 12. The various regions of the boot form 10 may belaid up and then cured together to form a unitary structure.

The boot form 10 may include multiple layers of material to yield anoptimal flexibility for a given skate size. As the length and width ofthe skate 5 varies throughout the size ranges, the overall stiffness ofthe skate 5, if constructed in a uniform manner, also varies. Asmaller-sized skate, for example, would have a greater stiffness than asimilarly constructed larger-sized skate. Accordingly, the stiffness ofthe individual composite layers, particularly in the lower region 12 orthe boot form 10, may be varied across different skate sizes to achievea substantially equivalent skate stiffness or flexibility.

In one embodiment, the angles of the fibers in one or more layers of theboot form 10 may be adjusted based on the size of the skate 5. In skateshaving sizes 4 to 6.5, for example, the carbon or other fibers in theboot form 10 may be oriented to provide less relative stiffness thansimilarly situated fibers in skates having sizes 7-9.5, which may inturn have carbon or other fibers oriented to provide less relativestiffness than similarly situated fibers in skates having sizes 10 to12.5. By varying the fiber angles in this manner, the overall flexion ortorsional rigidity of the skate 5 can be substantially equalizedthroughout the available size ranges.

In one embodiment, the transition region between the upper portion 14and the lower portion 12 of the boot form 10 is staggered during thelayup process to provide a gradually changing flexibility along thelength of the transition region. For example, the lower portion 12 ofthe boot form 10 may include one or more regions that extend upwardbeyond a neighboring region of the lower portion 12, or the lowerportion 12 may include a stepped upper region providing a gradualincrease or decrease in flexibility along the transition region. Thesearrangements may aid in the performance and durability of the skate 5.

Fastener elements 18 may be attached to or molded into the upper portion14 of the boot form 10 to facilitate attachment of a tendon guard 20, askate quarter 22, or other components. Screws 24, bolts, rivets, orother suitable fasteners may be used to engage the fastener elements 18and to attach the components. In the illustrated embodiment, a portionof the skate quarter 22, as well as medial and lateral connectingportions of the tendon guard 20, are attached to the boot form 10 viascrews 24 or similar connectors.

In one embodiment, two or more fastener elements 18 are included on eachside of the boot form 10. As a result, the tendon guard 20 may besecured to multiple locations on each side of the boot form 10, thuspreventing the tendon guard 20 from pivoting about the connectionlocation. In another embodiment, stoppers 21 may additionally oralternatively be included at the upper regions of the skate boot toinhibit forward rotation of the tendon guard 20, as described, forexample, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/418,052, filed Mar. 12,2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.

In one embodiment, a U-shaped notch or other opening is included in therear of the skate boot to facilitate rearward extension of a wearer'sankle and lower leg during the skating motion. The tendon guard 20 mayinclude a narrow mid-region to facilitate rearward flexing of the tendonguard 20, as described, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/271,029, filed Oct. 11, 2011, which is incorporated herein byreference.

The skate quarter 22 may be made of a thermoformable material, such asSurlyn®, high density polyethylene, or of another suitable material.Because the upper portion 14 of the boot form 10 is made of athermoformable material or a similar material, the skate quarter 22 maybe attached to the upper portion 14 of the boot form 10 via adhesives orstitching, as well as by the fasteners 18 described above. The use of athermoformable upper portion 14 of the boot form 10, as well as athermoformable skate quarter 22, facilitates conforming of the skateboot to the shape of a wearer's foot and ankle.

A molded protector 23 made of thermoplastic polyurethane, or of anothersuitable material, may be positioned over the lower edge of the skatequarter 22 to protect it from abrasion and from prying forces that couldseparate or delaminate the quarter 22 from the upper portion 14 of theboot form 10. Additionally, a molded toe cap 26 may be integral with orpositioned over the integral toe portion 16 of the boot form 10. The toecap 26 may be made of a plastic material, such as thermoplasticpolyurethane, or of any other material suitable for providing protectionto the toe region of the skate 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the toe cap 26 may include one or more flanges 25 orsimilar elements to which the skate quarter 22, the molded protector 23,or a skate tongue 30 may be attached. Connection of these components tothe toe cap 26 may be advantageous, as it would be difficult to attachthem directly to the rigid lower portion 12 of the boot form 10.

In one embodiment, the skate tongue 30 extends inside the toe region 16of the boot form 10 to fill the space between the top of a wearer's footand the upper, inner surface of the toe region 16. This arrangementprovides comfort for the user, while also providing sensation andfeedback during skating motions. In another embodiment, a separatefiller element is positioned inside the toe region 16 adjacent to theend of the tongue 30 to provide similar benefits.

A blade holder 32 is attached to the lower portion 12 of the boot form10 via screws, bolts, rivets, or other suitable connectors. The bladeholder 32 may be made of DuPont Zytel® ST801 or of another suitablematerial. A blade 34 made of steel or of another suitable material issecured to the blade holder 32 via screws 36, rivets, bolts, or othersuitable connectors. In one embodiment, the bottom of the boot form 10includes a plurality of premolded openings to which the blade holder 32is attached.

Multiple layers of material may be included on the interior region ofthe lower portion 12 of the boot form 10 to facilitate increased grip orholding strength of the screws or other connectors used to secure theblade holder 32 to the lower portion 12 of the boot form 10. Because thelower portion 12 of the boot form 10 is rigid, it does not readilyaccept connectors. Providing additional layers of material, however,increases the holding strength of the connectors. Additionally, the toecap 26 preferably does not wrap underneath the toe region 16 so that itdoes not interfere with the attachment of the lower portion 12 of theboot form 10 to the blade holder 32.

The skate boot 5 described herein may be constructed by arranging in amold the composite layers that make up the lower portion 12, upperportion 14, and toe region 16 of the boot form 10. As described above,the fiber angles in the given layers may be selected to provide thestiffness properties desired for a given skate size. Also as describedabove, the layers of the lower and upper portions 12, 14 of the bootform 10 optionally may be staggered to provide a graduated transitionregion between them.

Once the layers are arranged in the mold they are be cured under heatand pressure to create the boot form 10. The thermoformable upperportion 14 of the boot form 10 softens at a temperature range that doesnot affect the rigidity of the rigid lower portion 12 of the boot form10. The upper portion 14, therefore, is able to conform to the shape ofa wearer's foot and, after cooling, remain in that shape so that theskate 5 remains conformed to a wearer's foot. The skate quarter 22, toecap 26, tongue 30, tendon guard 20, blade holder 32, and other skatecomponents may then be attached to the boot form 10, or to each other,as described above.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, in another embodiment, a boot form 50 may bemade of multiple plastic materials having different hardness properties,or different flexural moduli, and may be formed via an injection-moldingprocess or another similar process. One or more of the plastic materialsmay be reinforced with fibers of glass, carbon, aramid, or anotherstiffening material to strengthen one or more regions of the boot form50. For example, pellets of a first plastic material having a flexuralmodulus of approximately 190 MPa (e.g., a polyamide elastomer blockamide) may be injected into a mold to form the softer upper region 52 ofthe boot form. And pellets of a second plastic having a flexural modulusof approximately 20,000 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12 with long glass fibers)may be injected into the mold to form the stiffer lower region 54 of theboot form.

To achieve a different performance characteristic, a first plastichaving a flexural modulus of approximately 2100 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12with short glass fibers) may be injected into the mold to form a softerupper region of the boot form. And pellets of a second plastic having aflexural modulus of approximately 4200 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12 with ahigher content of short glass fibers) may be injected into the mold toform a stiffer lower region of the boot form. A skate quarter and otherskate components may then be attached to the boot form.

The second plastic material preferably bonds with the first plasticmaterial during heating and curing in the mold but could otherwise beattached in another suitable manner. If desired, a smaller amount of thestiffer, second plastic material may be introduced into the upper region52 of the boot form 50 to increase the stiffness of the upper region 52relative to a boot form including only the first plastic material in theupper region.

The use of different plastics having different flexural modulifacilitates customization of the boot form 50 to meet the preferences ofa variety of users. For example, some users may prefer a very flexibleupper region 52, while others may prefer an upper region 52 that, whilemore flexible than the lower region 54, is relatively close in stiffnessto the lower region 54. In one embodiment, the upper region 52 of theboot form 50 is formed from a plastic material that is soft enough toreceive stitches, such that a skate quarter or other elements of theskate may be stitched to the upper region 52.

In one embodiment, one or more flexible flanges or tabs 56 may be moldedto, or otherwise attached to, one or more regions of the boot form 50.Components of a hockey skate may be attached to the tabs 56 viastitching, adhesive, or another suitable connector. For example, aflexible tab 56 may be molded or otherwise connected to the toe regionof the boot form 50 for connection to a tongue of the skate. A flexibletab 56 may additionally or alternatively be molded or otherwiseconnected to the rear of the boot form for attachment to an inner linerof the skate boot or attachment to a tendon guard. Attaching a tendonguard to the flexible tab 56, for example, allows the tendon guard toflex rearward and forward via movement of the tab 56. Accordingly, thetendon guard may be made of a relatively stiff material to enhanceprotection, while still allowing the user to maximize range of legmotion in the rearward and forward directions due to the flexibility ofthe tab 56.

Once the boot form 50 is formed, a skate quarter, toe cap, tongue,tendon guard, blade holder, or other skate components may be attached tothe boot form 50, or to each other, as described in the aboveembodiments. In one embodiment, a fabric layer or a composite-fiberlayer may be positioned in the mold to enhance bonding of the injectedpellets when they melt such that they from an integral boot form withexcellent impact resistance properties. In another embodiment, a toe capor heel cup having a different flexural modulus than the boot formitself may be separately injected and then placed in the mold to bondwith the boot form during the subsequent injection process to provideincreased impact protection.

Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or incombination with one another. Further, the hockey skate may includeadditional features not described herein. While several embodiments havebeen shown and described, various changes and substitutions may ofcourse be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited, except bythe following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hockey skate, comprising: a boot form including a lower portion and an upper portion molded to the lower portion, a flexibility of material of the upper portion being greater than a flexibility of material of the lower portion such that the upper portion is less rigid than the lower portion, the material of the lower portion being a composite and the material of the upper portion being a composite; and a skate quarter attached to the upper portion of the boot form.
 2. The hockey skate of claim 1 further comprising a flexible tab molded to a rear region of the boot form, and a tendon guard attached to the flexible tab.
 3. The hockey skate of claim 1 wherein the material of the lower portion of the boot form is reinforced with fibers selected from the group consisting of carbon, glass, and aramid fibers.
 4. The hockey skate of claim 1 further comprising a flexible tab molded to a rear region of the boot form.
 5. The hockey skate of claim 1 further comprising a blade holder attached to a bottom region of the lower portion of the boot form.
 6. The hockey skate of claim 1, wherein the material of the lower portion has a first flexural modulus and the material of the upper portion has a second flexural modulus, the second flexural modulus being different from the first flexural modulus.
 7. The hockey skate of claim 6, wherein the second flexural modulus is less than the first flexural modulus.
 8. The hockey skate of claim 7 wherein the first flexural modulus is approximately 4200 MPa, and the second flexural modulus is approximately 2100 MPa.
 9. The hockey skate of claim 7 wherein the first flexural modulus is approximately 20,000 MPa, and the second flexural modulus is approximately 190 MPa.
 10. The hockey skate of claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the boot form comprises an integral toe region.
 11. The hockey skate of claim 10 further comprising a flexible tab molded to the integral toe region of the lower portion of the boot form, and a tongue attached to the flexible tab.
 12. The hockey skate of claim 1, wherein a composition of the material of the upper portion is different from a composition of the material of the lower portion.
 13. A hockey skate, comprising: a boot form including a lower portion and an upper portion molded to the lower portion, the lower portion comprising a first material and the upper portion comprising a second material, the first material having a flexural modulus greater than a flexural modulus of the second material, the first material being a composite and the second material being a composite; and a skate quarter attached to the upper portion of the boot form.
 14. The hockey skate of claim 13 further comprising a flexible tab molded to a rear region of the boot form, and a tendon guard attached to the flexible tab.
 15. The hockey skate of claim 13 wherein the lower portion of the boot form includes an integral toe region.
 16. The hockey skate of claim 15 further comprising a flexible tab molded to the toe region, and a tongue attached to the flexible tab.
 17. The hockey skate of claim 13 wherein the first material is reinforced with fibers selected from the group consisting of carbon, glass, and aramid fibers.
 18. The hockey skate of claim 13 further comprising a flexible tab molded to a rear region of the boot form.
 19. The hockey skate of claim 13 further comprising a blade holder attached to a bottom region of the lower portion of the boot form. 